SIMON DAVIE The Paradox of Work: The Only Way
to be Safe, is to avoid playing it Safe
At school you were taught that if you were good, did what you were told and worked hard, your education would get
you a job. Then at work, if you did what the boss wanted you to do and put in the hours, you may be promoted and a
few would make it all the way to the top. For the last 150 years that worked well, but the rules have changed.
Now, successful organisations need people who know which rules to break to create value. There's a need for more
focus on thinking differently, being creative and leading. The trouble is school didn't teach you how to do that well. In
fact, you were taught the opposite; do what you're told and give the right answer - if you had different ideas, it was
best to keep them to yourself.
The school system was created in 1870 to support the increasing demand for factory workers. For what seemed like
forever, organisations needed compliant workers to deliver their plans and the schools delivered them. But the
businesses of today need different skills. If your job can be broken down into a series of steps (and it probably can)
then you can be replaced. There is already someone willing to do your job for less money.
You were also told you needed to be good at everything and to fix
your weaknesses. Now we know that great leaders aren't good at
everything, but instead are outstanding in a few key areas. Would
you put Usain Bolt in the Olympic marathon to give him a
development opportunity, or tell Ronaldo to be the goalkeeper for
the World Cup Final? Managers in sport create a team based on
playing to the strengths of the individuals within it. So why do
managers in organisations insist on developing weaknesses that
their staff have, in skills that don't matter? It kills passion and takes
people away from what they're best at.
During times of economic challenge, when there is more to do, with less resources, we need people playing to their
strengths not wasting time trying to be good at skills that they'll never need to use.
As a result of the Industrial Revolution's needs, maths languages and science were the only things that mattered and
school reflected that. Now more than ever, we also need creativity, diversity, curiosity and humanity.
The safe world is ending, where being good and working hard is enough to pay the mortgage. There are no safe jobs
any more. There is, however, a new world emerging that is far more exciting and enjoyable. A world where you get to
use the skills you are best at and perform to your full potential in areas that matter most to you.
Your industry is experiencing massive change, your job and organisation is not safe, so you need to play to your
strengths to stay ahead.
The paradox of work in the new world: the only way to be safe, is to avoid playing it safe.
V isit http://www.sliding-doors.com.au to keep reading and check out the new book
'Breaking Good' and for more information on how to play to your strengths.
Simon Davie is leading change and enabling organisations to do more with less,
through increasing self-awareness and application of key strengths. A
leadership coach at a leading University and Business school and Director of
Sliding Doors he supports organisations experiencing change from large media
companies to small non-profits. If you enjoyed reading this article, you might
like to sign up for more here http://www.simondavie.com